Wrench



Patented den. 15, 1923..

entree s'rries earner ARTHUR I. WHITFIELD, OF BOSTON, IMASSACHUSET'IS,ASSIGNOR TO TRIIVIONT MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF ROXBURY,lWASSAOI'iIUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

WRENCH.

Application filed October 28, 1921.

T0 (6 whom it puny concern:

Be it known that l, ARTHUR J. VIRT- FIELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Boston, in the county of: Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in lVrenches, of which thefol lowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa specification, like characters on the drawings representing likeparts.

This invention relates toimproveinents in the construction of handlesfor hand operated tools, and more particularly to improvements in theconstruction o't wrench handles.

In the construction of handles for adjustable wrenches and various otherhand operated tools, it is desirable that the handles shall possess ahigh degree of strength to withstand the .severe usage to which they maybe subjected while at the same time it is desirable that the gripportion of the handles be formed of wood or other nonmetallic materialthat offers a good gripping surface to the hand.

Wrench handles that are constructed entirely of metal possess therequisite strength, but are unsatisfactory in that they do not afford agripping surface that is as satisfactory to the grasp of the hand as dowooden handles. Furthermore, metal handles are less pleasing to the feelof the hand than wooden handles, and this is particularly truein coldweather since thehand becomes chilled quickly when held in contact withcold metal.

Attempts have been made heretofore to provide composite handles,consisting of a metal handle web to which wood. or other non-metallicgrips or handle scales are secured. This forms a satisfactory type ofhandle as long as the handle scales remain in place. but dii'hculty hasbeen experienced in providing a practical construction in which thehandle scales will withstand thesevere treatment to which they are oftensubjected One of the most frequent sources of injury to adjustablewrenches the practice among careless workmen of striking the wrench witha hammer or other implement when they are unable to force the wrench byhand in the direction they desire to turn it. This practice soon breaksthe handle Serial No. 511,002.

scales, or drives them loose from the metal portion of the handle.

lVith the above matters in mind, the present invention aims to providean improved handle oi? the composite type above referred to which isstrong and durable, while at the same time it is simple in constructionand inexpensive to manufacture.

The various features of the invention and novel combination of partswill be herein described in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich show one good, practical form of the invention.

Inthe drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a wrench having a handle constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the handle portion of the wrench withone of the handle scales removed;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged edge view of the handle shown in Fig. 1.

F ig. 5 is a sectionalview taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view looking at the inner face of one of thehandle scales.

. The handle construction forming the sul ject matter of the presentinvention is illustrated as forming the handle of an adjustable wrench,but it is apparent that various types oi hand tools may be provided withhandles constructed in accordance with the present invention.

In the construction shown the wrench bar 10 is provided with ahousing 11in which the stem 12 of the adjustable jaw 13 is slidably mounted, andadjustment of the jaw li-l may be eilected in the usual manner by thenut 14-.

The rear portion of the wrench bar '10 preferably is provided with ahandle web .15 that may be termed integral with the bar H). The handleweb may have relatively flat faces, and since the greatest strain towhich. the handle web is subjected occurs near its juncture with thewrench bar. the

web may taper slightly towariil its rear end ably is formed with arcuateshoulders 17 extending outwardly from each face of the.

handle web. At the juncture of the handle web and wrench bar is formed abolster 18 providing the shoulders 19. The construction of the shoulders17 and 19 is such that they extend outwardly substantial distances fromthe flat faces of the handle web 15 and serve to position the handlescales 2O fitted between them, and to protect the ends of the handlescales.

As stated difficulty has been experienced heretofore in providingsatisfactory means for securing the handle scales to the metal portionof the handle, the greatest difficulty being experienced in attemptingto provide a construction that will prevent the handle scales from beingdisplaced laterally relative to the handle web by blows imparted to thefront or rear edge of the handle. To prevent the handle scale 20 frombeing forced laterally relative to the handle web 15, in the presentcase, rib or ribs 21 (two being shown in the drawings) are provided uponeach face of the handle web to extend longitudinally thereof, and eachrib is constructed to present square shoulders 22 extending outwardly asubstantial distance from av face of the handle web. The ribs 21 arereceived in grooves 23 formed lengthwise of'the inner face of the handlescales 20, and in order to simplify the operation of forming the grooves23 they preferably extend the entire length of the handle scales asshown in Fig. 6. The side walls of the grooves 23- are formed firmly toseat against the shoulders 22 of the ribs, and the ribs preferablyextend to a position near each end of the handle web to hold the handlescales throughout the greater portion of their length from lateraldisplacement.

The construction so far described is such that the handle scales 20 areprevented from being displaced laterally upon the handle web by thecooperating ribs 20 and grooves 23, and are prevented from displacementlengthwise of the handle web by the shoulders 17 and 19 which shouldersserve also to protect the ends of the handle scale. It is necessary toprovide means for holding the handle scales firmly seated upon the facesof the handle web 15, and in the present case this is satisfactorilyaccom plished by a single pin 24 which passes through the handle scalesand through an aperture in the handle web, and the ends of the pin 24extend through washers 26 seated in sockets formed in the handle scales,the ends of the pin being upset sufficiently to clamp the partstogether. Since the pin 24 is not relied upon to prevent displacement ofthe handle scales either laterally or lengthwise, the aperture- 25'ispreferably made large enough to entirely clear the pin, and as a resultthe handle scales are not subjected at any time to pressure of the pinagainst a lateral wall thereof. This feature is important, because it isfound that where securing pins are relied upon to hold the handle scalesfrom displacement relative to the handle web, the handle scalesfrequently split at the point Where the pins pass through them. I

The construction described is such that the wrench bar and the handleforming parts integral therewith may be quickly and inexpensively formedby drop forging operations, and the handle scales which are formed ofwood or other non-metallic material may readily be given theconfiguration shown, whereupon they may be quickly secured to theopposite sides of the handle web by a single pin. The presentconstruction is inexpensive to manufacture and is extremely strong anddurable.

that I claim is:

1. A wrench handle comprising, in comhination, a wrench bar having ahandle web integral therewith, a bolster integral with one end and a capintegral with the other end of the handle web, ribs extendinglongituclinally of the opposite faces of the handle web, handle scalesfitted to the opposite faces of the handle web between the bolster andcap and each scale having a rib receiving groove formedlongitudinally ofits inner face, said ribs provided with square shoulders that projectsubstantial distances into the handle scales firmly to hold the scalesfrom movement laterally relatively to the handle web, and a pin forholding the handle scales against the opposite faces of the handle web.

.2. A wrench handle comprising, in combination, a wrench bar having arearwardly extending flattened handle web, a bolster integral with oneend and a cap integral with the other end of the handle web, ribs uponthe opposite flattened faces of the handle web and extendinglongitudinally thereof upon opposite sides of the axis of the web,handle scales fitted to the opposite faces of the handle web between thebolster and cap and each scale having a rib receiving groove extendinglongitudinally of its inner face, said ribs provided with relativelysquare shoulders that project substantial. distances into the grooves ofthe handle scales firmly to hold the scales from movement laterallyrelative to the handle web, a pin extending through the handle web forholding the handle scales against the opposite faces of the handle web,and the web having a pin receiving aperture therethrough of sufficientsize to provide a substantial amount of clearance about the pin that thelatter may move in the aperture suflicientlyto align itself with theapertures of the handle scales.

3. A' wrench handle comprising, in comhination. a wrench bar having arearwardly extending flattened handle web, a bolster in- 10 said ribsprovided with relatively square shoulders that project substantialdistances into the grooves of the handle scales firmly to hold thescales from movement laterally relative to the handle web, and a pinextending through the handle scales and handle web firmly to hold thescales against the web.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR J. WHITFIELD.

